# US 11,409,647 B2 · Universal protocol for power tools > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,409,647 B2 - Document ID: US11409647B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/856,425 - Filed: 2020-04-23 - Published: 2020-08-06 - Granted: 2022-08-09 - Earliest claimed: 2012-07-17 - Assignees: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation - Applicants: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation - Inventors: Matthew J. Mergener - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11409647B2 ## CPC - B25F 5/00: Details or components of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operations performed and not otherwise provided for - G06F 8/65: Updates (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57) - G06F 9/44505: {Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files} - G06F 12/023: {Free address space management} - H04L 67/12: specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks - H04L 67/51: Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services - H04L 69/03: {Protocol definition or specification (protocol conformance testing H04L1/244)} - H04L 69/08: Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion - G05B 9/02: electric - G05B 2219/25206: Protocol: only devices with changed states communicate their states, event - G06F 11/0796: {Safety measures, i.e. ensuring safe condition in the event of error, e.g. for controlling element} - G06F 13/387: {for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system} - G06F 13/409: {Mechanical coupling (back panels H05K7/1438)} - G06F 2212/251: Local memory within processor subsystem - B25F: COMBINATION OR MULTI-PURPOSE TOOLS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; DETAILS OR COMPONENTS OF PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS NOT PARTICULARLY RELATED TO THE OPERATIONS PERFORMED AND NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR {(machines or arrangements of machines for performing specified combinations of different metal-working operations not covered by a single other subclass B23P23/00 and subgroups)} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract A method for communicating between motorized power tools includes establishing, using a physical interface of a first power tool, a wireless radio link between the first power tool and a second power tool. The first power tool has a first motor and the second power tool has a second motor. A signal is received over the wireless radio link, via the physical interface, at the first power tool from the second power tool using a first wireless communication protocol. The signal includes an identifier. The second power tool is verified as authorized to send the signal to the first power tool based on the identifier. A tool component of the first power tool is controlled responsive to the signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for communicating between power tools, the method comprising: establishing, using a physical interface of a first power tool, a wireless radio link between the first power tool and a second power tool, the first power tool having a first motor and the second power tool having a second motor; receiving a signal over the wireless radio link, via the physical interface, at the first power tool from the second power tool using a first wireless communication protocol, the signal including an identifier; verifying the second power tool is authorized to send the signal to the first power tool based on the identifier; and controlling a tool component of the first power tool responsive to the signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the tool component is the first motor; and controlling the tool component includes activating the first motor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the tool component is the first motor; and controlling the tool component includes disabling the first motor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the first power tool includes a memory, a portion of the memory being mapped to the tool component; and the signal includes a write command including an address in the portion of the memory mapped to the tool component. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, comprising: placing the first power tool in a safe mode in response to the write command, wherein a motor of the first power tool is disabled when in the safe mode; writing to the memory of the tool in accordance with the write command; and exiting the safe mode upon completion of the write command. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the first power tool is a vacuum. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the signal includes a security element; and verifying the second power tool is authorized to send the signal includes verifying the second power tool is authorized to send the signal based on the identifier and the security element. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the tool component is at least one selected from the group consisting of a light emitting diode configured to provide visual feedback, a speaker configured to provide audio feedback, and a vibrator configured to provide tactile feedback, and the signal includes an instruction to activate the tool component to provide feedback indicating a status of the tool. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the tool component of the first power tool responsive to the signal comprises: generating a first command according to a first protocol based on the signal; translating the first command from the first protocol to a universal protocol to generate a second command; and controlling the tool component of the first power tool based on the second command. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, comprising: translating, by a controller, the second command from the universal protocol to a second to generate a third command execution by the tool component of the first power tool; and executing the third command by the tool component. ### Claim 11 A system for communicating messages between power tools, the system comprising: a first power tool including a first motor and a first physical interface configured to transmit a signal over a wireless radio link, the signal including an identifier; and a second power tool including a tool component, a second physical interface configured to receive the signal over the wireless radio link, and a controller configured to: verify the first power tool is authorized to send the signal to the second power tool based on the identifier, and control the tool component responsive to the signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein: the tool component is a second motor; and the controller is configured to activate the second motor responsive to the signal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein: the tool component is the second motor; and the controller is configured to disable the second motor responsive to the signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein: the second power tool includes a memory, a portion of the memory being mapped to the tool component; and the signal includes a write command including an address in the portion of the memory mapped to the tool component. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to: place the second power tool in a safe mode in response to the write command, wherein the second motor is disabled when in the safe mode; write to the memory of the second tool in accordance with the write command; and exit the safe mode upon completion of the write command. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the second power tool is a vacuum. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein: the signal includes a security element; and the controller is configured to verify the first power tool is authorized to send the signal by verifying the first power tool is authorized to send the signal based on the identifier and the security element. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein: the tool component is at least one selected from the group consisting of a light emitting diode configured to provide visual feedback, a speaker configured to provide audio feedback, and a vibrator configured to provide tactile feedback, and the signal includes an instruction to activate the tool component to provide feedback indicating a status of the tool. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to: generate a first command according to a first protocol based on the signal; translate the first command from the first protocol to a universal protocol to generate a second command; and control the tool component of the second power tool based on the second command. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to: translate the second command from the universal protocol to a second to generate a third command execution by the tool component of the first power tool; and control the tool component based on the third command.